An overnight fire that tore through the old Quincy City Hall building on Hancock Street is being considered suspicious, fire officials say.

An overnight fire that tore through the old Quincy City Hall building on Hancock Street is being considered suspicious, fire officials say.

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 12:24 PM EDT Sep 30, 2014

Hide TranscriptShow Transcript

WEBVTT AND A FIRE THAT STRUCK A STORE, TODD KAZAKIEWICH IS LIVE IN QUINCY. THE CONSTRUCTION HAD RESUMED AND THE DAMAGE IS SIGNIFICANT. THE PROJECT IS NOW MONTHS BEHIND. THE EXACT CAUSE IS UNDETERMINED. AT FIRST GLANCE, IT MIGHT NOT BE THAT NOTICEABLE, NOTHING HISTORIC WAS DESTROYED. THE SOOT ON THE OUTSIDE NEAR THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE IS UNMISTAKABLE. THE MAYOR TELLS US REPAIRING DAMAGE WILL DELAY THE COMPLETION BY SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS. THERE IS SOME CONCERN ABOUT SOME OF THE GRANITE BOX THAT FACE THE CEMETERY PORTION WHICH IS PART OF THE ORIGINAL 44 BUILDINGS. AND WE'LL HAVE SOME EXPERTS LOOKING AT THAT ON HOW TO TREAT THAT. BUT EVERYTHING ELSE IS REPLACING WOOD AND TIMBERS AND WALL BOARDS AND INSULATION. A TAXI DRIVER CALLED 911 AROUND 1 A.M. THE THE FLAMES HAD SPREAD QUICKLY. THEY CALLED THREE ALARMS BRINGING ON ALL ON DUTY FIREFIGHTERS. THE MAYOR WOULDN'T SPECULATE ON THE CAUSE, BUT SAID THIS. CLEARLY, SOMEBODY WAS IN THERE IN THE WEE HOURS OF THE NIGHT THAT PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN IN THERE. IT'S NOT THE FIRST SECURITY BREACH AT THE SITE. OVER THE WEEKEND, THIEVES BROKE IN AND STOLE COPPER. NOI, -- NOW, POLICE ARE LOOKING INTO THE POSSIBILITY, THE SAME THING HAPPENED OVERNIGHT. THE CITY IS LOOKING INTO THE WAY TO SECURE THE SITE OF THE BUILDING THAT'S BEEN THE SEAT OF THE GOVERNMENT HERE SINCE 1844. ONCE IT'S SECURED AND THE DOORS AND WINDOWS, IT CHANGES THINGS DRASTICALLY. IN THE MEANTIME, WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WINDOWS SECURED BY NOTHING MORE THAN PLASTIC, YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHY THE SITE IS SO VULNERABLE. THE MAYOR, THE POLICE CHIEF, THE CONTRACTOR WILL BE MEETING VERY SOON TO DISCUSS UPGRADING SECURITY HERE. BY THE WAY, AS FOR THE COST OF THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE FIRE,